Rivalries To Be Renewed In Balkan League

Hajduk Split against Red Star Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb against Partizan Belgrade. The regions footballing rivalries are set to be renewed in the spring of 2015, when the first 16-team Balkan Football League looks set to kick off, writes Croatian Globus magazine. The UEFA sanctioned league is to feature 16 clubs from 8 countries in the region.

A meeting between federation heads of Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Macedonia and Bulgaria was reported to have taken place in Budva last month, where the league’s plans were mapped out. Clubs from nations of the former Yugoslavia will be joined by clubs from Hungary and Bulgaria.

There has been talk for many years about the formation of the Balkan League, but UEFA has until now not been in favour of the amalgamation. Recent negotiations with UEFA look to be on the right path for the new league to be formed. With attendance levels down, cross-boader derbies could be just the boost football in the region needs.